The United States' New ‘Religious Freedom’ Appointee Is a Religious Bigot

The newest addition to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, Tony Perkins, does not believe in religious freedom.

Perkins, who was appointed to the post by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), will now serve on a commission that supposedly serves as a watchdog “dedicated to defending the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad,” even though he has repeatedly demonstrated that he does not believe in the equal protection of Muslims and others.

The commission has a long history of politicization, along with anti-Muslim and anti-LGBT bias. Perkins’ inclusion will only continue to undermine its credibility.

While he claims to support religious freedom, Perkins believes that the Constitution does not protect the rights of Muslims.

A top official of his organization, the Family Research Council, once called for a ban on mosques, and the group published an essay arguing that Islam is not really a religious faith but rather “a religious government, the establishment of which the Establishment Clause prohibits.”

He once praised legislation in Uganda that would have included heinous punishments for homosexuality, including the death penalty, as an effort to “uphold moral conduct” and warned that marriage equality would lead to a revolution and second holocaust.

A commission that ostensibly acts as a fair-minded monitor that calls out other countries for endangering liberties can’t have much standing if one of its own members is actively working to undermine it.

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Anonymous

So Perkins believes in religious freedom --- for Christians. His brand of Christianity. No one else's rights would be protected. Yes, Christian Sharia law has arrived. Ironic that we complain about Muslims when we are doing exactly the same things, including: - inserting certain religious beliefs into govt business; - intruding into women's personal rights; - inserting certain religious beliefs into public school textbooks. When do we get back to being Americans?

Anonymous

J Schell

Tony Perkins, the bigot, not the deceased actor of “psycho” fame, has forgotten what happened in England that led to the first immigrants to come to what became North America. Christianity is not our national religion and for Perkins to push for denying Americans the rights and protections guaranteed by the Constitution just because they aren’t Christian is a tyrannical move and totally deplorable.